my microcosm

So Raw It's Downright Filthy

Let us not understate the might and magic of Joshua Ploeg’s cooking. The dude’s meals sparkle in your mouth; they burst and bloom; they explode and breakdance and pirouette! Joshua’s the “traveling vegan chef” and he is—as we speak, no less!—touring the world making insane-in-the-membrane multi-course DIY meals at shows and dinner parties. (You can book him right here! http://joshuaploeg.blogspot.com/) A wonderful follow-up to his third cookbook, In Search of the Lost Taste, this brand-new zine is Joshua’s take on raw food and it is llllllong awaited. Revel in the majesty of easy and cheap recipes like his Mushroom-Pear Salad with Five Spice. Give yourself a massive high five after fixin’ up his pho (which is pho-king great!). Go bananas with his green curry, his incredible Shitakesbury Steak, his OMG-worthy raw Shepherd’s Pie! Want some more? There’s more, much more: 28 slammin’ pages with tips on all-things raw, raw-related articles, and awesome-a-licious recipes like Garlic-Sunflower Pate, Cashew Sour Cream, Melon Gazpacho, and Gumbo! The raw diet does not have to mean a pile of wilted lettuce with lime squeezed over it or a handful of stinkin’ peanuts! The raw diet can be a party!

Comments/Reviews

Hex Records2/21/2012

Points to the author for having fronted Behead the Prophet No Lord Shall Live, and for being a funny-ass dude. But while this claims to be a cookbook it basically only qualifies as a short zine. Additionally, 'cookbook' is sort of a misnomer seeing as this is for raw recipes and no actual 'cooking' ought to be taking place. Amirite? Still, I do not adhere to the raw regimen in my vegan diet, but I'm down to check what's out there and I have to hand it to Josh- he's come up with some really strange recipes, combining a lot of things I would never think to put together in new and interesting ways. Most of these recipes involve coconut so I will never in 1,000 years try them. But others give me ideas on how to tweak them my own way and put a spin on regular things I make. In that respect, as a conduit for further creativity, this succeeds. And if you're into the raw diet thing this zine will probably give you some ideas as well.